Escambia deputies pepper spray unruly crowd
Crime on Pensacola Beach rising with temperatures
BY SCOTT PAGE Gulf Breeze News Scott@gulfbreezenews.com

Lee

Several alarming incidents have occurred on Pensacola Beach during the month of April. The most recent being an unsanctioned and non-permitted party on the public beach near the Fort Pickens gate Saturday night, April 26.

The illegal event, which was organized by Outlaw Record Label from Pensacola, consisted of over 1,000 people and had to be broken up with the use of pepper spray canisters.

Escambia County Lt. Gary Monte said, "We didn't have enough officers respond to the incident so they were completely overwhelmed."

Escambia County Sheriff's deputies blocked off Fort Pickens Road in an attempt to contain the crowd but they were unsuccessful.

"There were numerous fights," Lt. Montee said. "And to protect the innocent bystanders, the officers deployed two canisters of pepper spray after warning the crowd several times."

Lt. Montee added that one of the Escambia County Sheriff's Office (ECSO) ATVs was vandalized; specifically its tires were slashed. Also, an officer was assaulted but sustained no injuries.

Six people were arrested, but none were organizers of the event, the assailant or connected to the tire slashing.

"Any sanctions against Outlaw Records will be handled by the Santa Rosa Island Authority," Lt. Montee said. "Right now, we don't have any leads on who was responsible for the vandalism."

That same night, the ECSO, along with the State of Florida Alcohol, Beverage and Tobacco Agency and the task force on underage drinking held an undercover sting operation targeting seven businesses on the beach. Two of the businesses, Circle K and Island Wine and Liquor, sold alcohol to minors.

"We received a complaint about the Circle K selling to minors from the military," Lt. Montee said.

Lt. Montee went on to say that the offending businesses are subject to an administrative sanction from the Alcohol, Beverage and Tobacco Agency, and are at risk of losing their liquor license if they get too many. The clerks who made the illegal sales were given a criminal citation.

Another alarming incident occurred on the night of April 4. Jeff Waters, 21, a resident of Pensacola Beach, was assaulted in the parking lot of the Quietwater Beach Boardwalk.

Waters could not be reached for comment, but his mother recalled the terrifying circumstances.

"Jeff saw a man carrying a woman over his shoulder," J.J. Waters said. "The woman was upset so my son told the man something like 'Let her go,' and he said the man attacked him within seconds."

Waters was left lying unconscious until he woke up on his own.

There are currently no suspects named and Gulf Coast Crime Stoppers has taken over the case. Crime Stoppers is an anonymous tip-line set up by the ECSO to help with information gathering.

Lt. Montee said, "We have no leads on the assault, that's why we've asked Crime Stoppers to get involved with it."

"I was going to post a reward on my own, but I won't now that Crime Stoppers has taken over the case," Waters said.

Crime Stoppers is offering up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in this case. If you have information, contact 8 5 0 - 4 3 3 - STOP or visit www.gulfcoastcrimestoppers.org.

The SRIA funds three law enforcement officers from the sheriff's department to patrol the boardwalk, Executive Director Buck Lee said. One of Lee's goals is to ensure that the boardwalk, as well as the parking lots, are patrolled and that the officers show a presence in the area.